2019 End Of Year Top Twenty

Blimey, this seems to come round quick ‘n’ quicker every year. Must be getting old, I guess... For the first time ever, as far as I can recall, my favourite album of the year is an instrumental: there was a major tussle between it and The Holeum’s ‘Sublime Emptiness’, but after repeated back-to-back plays of them both I gave the nod to Tides From Nebula’s ‘From Voodoo To Zen’. It was also interesting to see seven bands appearing in this year’s chart – Angel Witch, Diamond Head, Grim Reaper, Raven, Saxon, Tygers Of Pan Tang and Warrior – who I was listening to forty or so years ago. Anyway, you know the rules by now: no re-issues, no best ofs, no rehashes, just the best of the year’s new releases - in my opinion, anyway. So here’s the Top Five, plus the rest in alphabetical order:

1. TIDES FROM NEBULA – ‘FROM VOODOO TO ZEN’ (Long Branch Records)
2. The Holeum – ‘Sublime Emptiness’ (Lifeforce Records)
3. Diamond Head – ‘The Coffin Train’ (Silver Lining Music)
4. Angel Witch – ‘Angel Of Light’ (Metal Blade)
5. Warmrain – ‘Back Above The Clouds’ (Rain Recordings)

Alcest – ‘Spiritual Instinct’ (Nuclear Blast)
Avatarium – ‘The Fire I Long For’ (Nuclear Blast)
Bullet – ‘Live’ (SPV)
Rosalie Cunningham – ‘Rosalie Cunningham’ (Esoteric Antenna)
Dream Theater – ‘Distance Over Time’ (Inside Out Music)
Grim Reaper – ‘At The Gates’ (Dissonance)
Hanging Garden – ‘Into That Good Night’ (Lifeforce Records)
Iamthemorning – ‘The Bell’ (KScope)
Insomnium – ‘Heart Like A Grave’ (Century Media)
Lacuna Coil – ‘Black Anima’ (Century Media)
Leprous – ‘Pitfalls’ (Inside Out Music)
Raven – ‘Screaming Murder Death From Above’ (SPV)
Saxon – ‘The Eagle Has Landed 40 Live’ (Silver Lining Music)
Tygers Of Pan Tang – Ritual (Target/Mighty Music)
Warrior – ‘Boudica’ (independent)

See you next year!
John Tucker December 2019